Jatropha malacophylla Standl.

  • Authority

    Dehgan, Bijan. 2012. . Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 110: 1--274. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Euphorbiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Jatropha malacophylla Standl.

  • Type

    Type. Mexico. Sinaloa, Mun. Mazatlán, El Zapote, 1923, J. G. Ortega 5208 (holotype: US).

  • Synonyms

    Jatropha platanifolia Standl.

  • Description

    Species Description - Shrubs or small trees, to 7 m, dioecious. Stems: whitish gray or sometimes purplish, erect, young branches somewhat succulent, densely tomentose, branches many and often from base, bark smooth, leaf scars crescent-shaped; latex watery and clear in younger shoots but reddish bloodlike in older branches. Leaves: deciduous, sometimes a few remain near branch tips, stipules caducous; petioles 5-8 cm long and 1-1.5 mm in diam., densely pubescent when young; blades broadly ovate in outline, usually 3- to 5-lobed, 6.5-9(-16.5) x 6.5-12(-14.5) cm, lobes 2-7.5 cm, membranous, base cordate, margins entire, apex broadly acuminate, venation palmate with 5-7(-9) primary veins, whitish pubescent on both surfaces particularly when young. Inflorescences: lateral, few-flowered cymes, staminate with peduncles of main florescences 2-3.4 cm long and those of coflorescences 1-1.5 cm; pistillate sessile, bracts 2-4 mm long, lanceolate, margins entire, pubescent on both surfaces; pedicels 2.5-3 mm long. Staminate flowers: sepals oblong to ovate-elliptic, 2.5-4.5 x 1.2-2 mm, margins entire, apex obtuse to rounded, glabrous on adaxial surface but mostly pubescent on abaxial; corollas tubular, white, petals obovate, 6-7 x 1.8-2.5 mm, distinct to variously connate to ½ of length, apex round, reflexed, tomentose on adaxial surface but glabrous on abaxial; stamens 10, biseriate-diadelphous (5 + 5), filaments of outer series 2.5-3.5 mm long and sometimes ± distinct after anthesis, those of inner series 3-4.5 mm long and connate ½-2/3 of length. Pistillate flowers: mostly like staminate but sepals oblong-elliptic and longer than the corolla but not foliaceous, 5.5-6.5 x 2.2-3 mm, apex acute; petals 6.5-8.2 x 1.8-2.4 mm; carpels 3, styles 2-3.5 mm long, connate ½ or more of length; rarely with a few staminodes. Capsules: ellipsoid, 1.6-2 x 1.2-1.8 cm, drupaceous, apiculate, distinctly ribbed, tardily dehiscent. Seeds: dark brown with black mottling, oval, 1.2-1.4 x 0.9-1.1 cm, caruncle present.

  • Discussion

    Local names and uses. Ensangregrado, ensangringrado, sangregrado, and sycamore leaf limber-bush. Wood is chewed or made into tea by Tarahumara and used to relieve pain in teeth. Latex that is collected from sapwood and the pith region of soft stems is also used for medicinal purposes [R. A. Bye Jr. 1907 (F, GH)]. Fruits are reportedly eaten by the parrot Amazona finschi (Renton, 2001). This species is sometimes recommended for use as a drought-tolerant, landscape plant.

    The original description of Jatropha platanifolia was based on a specimen (H. S. Gentry 1449) with immature stages of development (1.5-2.5 cm long), where blades were deeply lobed and densely pubescent. In the original description, Standley (1924) pointed out that J. malacophylla is related to J. cinerea based on the entire leaves. Other than subgeneric features, there is little morphological similarity between the two taxa. The superficial resemblance, if any, is probably the result of large leaves in some exceptional specimens of J. cinerea.

  • Distribution

    Northern and western states of Mexico in thorn forests on sandy arroyos or on heavy clay soil of coastal plains at 100-600 m. Flowering and fruiting in spring and summer.

    Chihuahua Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Sinaloa Mexico North America| Sonora Mexico North America|